Anamorphic photography for digital imagers

Abstract

A digital camera comprising a digital image sensor and at least one corrective lens element configured to reduce a blurring of an image in a horizontal or vertical dimension on the digital image sensor. Preferably the digital image sensor is a large digital imager such as a Digital 65 imager.

1 .- 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A method for improving an optical quality of an image in a camera lens system comprising:
 passing an image through an anamorphic lens group to compress the image;   passing the compressed image from the anamorphic lens group to a corrective lens group; and   passing the image from the corrective lens group to a digital image sensor, wherein the corrective lens group is configured to improve an optical quality of the image as produced by the digital image sensor.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein during the step of passing an image through the anamorphic lens group, the anamorphic lens group compresses the image in a horizontal or vertical dimension. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein during the step of passing the compressed image, the corrective lens group is configured to share the same optical axis as the anamorphic lens group. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the corrective lens group reduces blurring of the image produced by the digital image sensor. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 21 , comprising passing the image received by the anamorphic lens group through the corrective lens group that is configured comprising at least one of a toroidal lens element or a birefringent material. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 21 , comprising passing the compressed image to a powered lens group before passing the compressed image to the corrective lens group. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein during the step of passing the image to the digital image sensor, the image is passed through an optical low-pass filter. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the corrective lens group reduces blurring of the image produced by the optical low-pass filter. 
     
     
         29 . A camera lens system comprising the anamorphic lens group, the corrective lens group, and the digital image sensor that is configured to improve an optical quality of an image according to claim  1 . 
     
     
         30 . A method of improving an optical quality of an image in a camera lens system comprising an anamorphic lens group, a corrective lens group, and a digital image sensor, the method comprising:
 passing an image captured through an object side of the anamorphic lens system through the anamorphic lens system to produce a compressed image;   passing the compressed image from the anamorphic lens group to the corrective lens group to produce a corrected image therefrom; and   passing the corrected image to the digital image sensor, wherein the corrected image received by the digital image sensor addresses a blurring of the compressed image that is produced by the digital image sensor.   
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the digital image sensor comprises an optical low-pass filter. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the and wherein the blurring of the image is produced by the optical low-pass filter. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the anamorphic lens group compresses the image in a horizontal or vertical dimension, and wherein the corrective lens group is configured to produce a corrected image that addresses blurring of the compressed image in the direction of compression. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the corrective lens group comprises at least one of a toroidal lens element or a birefringent material. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the anamorphic lens group, corrective lens group, and digital image are configured to share the same optical axis. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the camera lens system comprises a powered lens group, and comprises passing the compressed image from the anamorphic lens group to the powered lens group before the step of passing the compressed image to the corrective lens group. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the anamorphic lens group is configured to produce an image having a reduced aspect ratio. 
     
     
         38 . A camera lens system comprising:
 a front an anamorphic lens group configured to produce a compressed image in at least one of a horizontal or vertical dimension;   a corrective lens group configured to receive the compressed image and produce a corrected image; and   a digital image sensor configured to receive the corrected image, wherein the corrected image is configured to address image distortion produced by the digital image sensor.   
     
     
         39 . The camera lens system of  claim 38 , wherein the corrective lens group comprises at least one of a toroidal lens element or a birefringent material. 
     
     
         40 . The camera lens system of  claim 38 , wherein the digital image sensor comprises an optical low-pass filter, and therein the image distortion is produced by the optical low-pass filter.